The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-31


made = detailed and exhaustive investigation.
Nothing Was too large, nor too small, nor too
obscure for its searching inquiry. The omcers
and attendants, and books, and documents were
examined. Tho system of contract and supply,
the food and the care and treatment OF the pa
TENTS the qualifications character and conduct
OF the attendants and employees were
all closely scrutinized and with the most
significant results. The evils aud abuses aris-
ing from the introduction of the party-spoils
system into the management OF humane, re-
formatory and penal institutions have been ex-
posed and denounced before but never were they
statements of this report 1t finds the most
careless and unbusiness-like methods prevailing
throughout the entire organization. from the
board of trustees down, and naturally it reveals
favoritism, corruption and ineficiency with
neglect and cruelty in the treatment Of the pa
tents The report proposes remedy . law
applying the reformed system Of competition
and probation to the selection Of the employees
OF the hospital and of all institutions of the
same kind. Similar inquiries in several other
States. conducted with the same energy and
care. would undoubtedly reveal similar abuses.
The argument drawn from ono public service
TO another is irresistible. the waste, and cor
ruption, and wrong which are bred by the spoils
system applied to the care Of the insane. or OF
the blind. or Of the poor, . service wholly RENE
dial and humane, with which politics not only
have rightfullv no concern but which they con-
fuse and corrupt to the great injury of the pa
tIeut Win great IOSS TO the CCaL0 are OOVlOUb
and undeniable. But the same evils spring nat
uraly from the Same system when applied to the
business of distributing letters, or computing
and collecting customs duties, or experimenting
Indians. which are equally non-political func-
tons The Indiana association has appealed not
unsuccessfully to the common sense of the people
of that State as was shown by tho discussions
in the press and by speeches made during the
last political campaign. It is not improbable
that q nom partisan management of such institu-
tiouS will ha pr0vidA0 ~ tho T,ooislatnrD and
tho argument for such provision would greatly
advance the probability OF the passage OF a re-
form law in Indiana like that of Now York and
Massachusetts"
From the foregoing statements the committee
reaches the conclusion that the reform is pro-
crossing rapidly and satisfactorily. A great deal
of space is devoted to the attitude Of President
Cleveland, and he is warmly eulogized for his ef-
forts in behalf of the new system. The commit
tee is OF opinion that better results would have
been obtained but for the influence Of Congress-
men and other prominent politicians who are in
terested in retention of the spells system. OF
the working Of the new law In the postal serv-
ice the report says:
ION the 30th of June, 1856, the whole number
of postof6ces was 53.614 of which 2,265 were
filled by appoiD tment of the President. Besides
this number OF postmasters there ara about q, :
900 persons employed in the postal service. Of
which g. 600 are included in the classified service
Within the year and four months Of the
term of the administration. ending on the 30th
OF June, it would appear that the new appoint
ments in the postof6ees had been probably q
little more than so per cent. At that date the
important branch Of the public service.
were about equally divided between old and
now incumbents Many of these changes have
merely substituted offensive partisans OF ono
owfxy frv - W.
records Of the executive sessions Of the Senate
which have been published show many instances
OF the appointment OF political partisans who
still continue in Office, and who are equally
craftsmanship. conspicuous instance of this
situation is that OF the postmaster at Indianap-
oils. In July, 1885, upon the statement then
made, the Civi-service Commission submitted a
report. which seems to Us unsatisfactory. upon
the essential point involved. But careful and
thorough investigation of the conduct Of that
Office down to q recent date has been made by
Mr. Lucius B. Swift Of Indianapolis, friend
OF reform and Of tie administration, and, with
due allowance for ex parte afidavits and for per-
most offensive partisanship in the management
of the ofice-a partisanship which. unless dis
proved. demands the removal of the pnsrm astel
as imperatively as that Of any officer who has
been removed for that reason.
ia tho State Of Indiana the postofice at In.
dianapolis is the only one included in the classi
fed service. OF second-class postofficss which
are also presidential, there are sixteen. and In
fifteen the former incumbsnts have been re-
moved, and the employees have been almost en-
tirely changed. There are eeventy-six third
class Offices also presidential, and in sixty sigh,
the late postmasters have been removed. There
| is no State, indeed. in which the postofice had
been made party machine more generally thar
| in Indiana, and many changes were proba bis
| justified for that reason. Yet it appears tina,
| change has been lass reform than the substitu
ton of one partisan for another, and in the case
of the employees there has been q practica
| prescription for political opinion. In Indians
| there about 800 fourth class Offices which
are filled at the pleasure OF the Postmaster gen
eral About l. 200 of these have been changed
! and of the 600 remaining the emoluments
are SO small that the offices are not desir
| able. According to information these
| changes, however justifable many of them may
have been in themselves for reasons Of offensive
| partisanship, have been made largely at the in
stance OF members of Congress whose motive ir
| selecting incumbents has bsen proved by thu
partisan activity OF the officers selected. These
| facts and details, which have been carefully anG
corscientiously collected by Mr.. Swift. have
] been recently laid before the President and al
ready in December. 1885, Mr.. Foulke. of Tndi
| ana, the president of the Civil-ssrvice Reform
| Association OF that State. had communicated t,
| the President much information of the same
| kind.
"Such facts seem to US to show clear viola
| ton of the moral engagement made with til,
country by the Postmaster general. We know
| indeed. that in a State where public opinion il
| Indifferent to the subject and where therefore
it not easy find persons suitable for appoint
ment who would heartily observe the principles
of reform. many and gross departures from
these principles might be expected. Blu
the fact that the old ''spoils" view
| is SO general and SO strong in the State woul,
| naturally lead An officer solictous for reform t.
peculiar distrust Of the representations of mem
bers Of Congress. and to seek other and NOR
disinterested means Of information. This how
ever. does not seem TO have been the case. In
Decd the circular of the Postmaster genera
practically committed the whole subject Of re
| movals and appointments in his branch of til
service to the most Jealous and interested parti
sans. Such partisans were invited to prepar
charges against incumbents, and we're told tina
their affirmation Of personal knowledge woul
be sufficient But the circular was secret, an